Furnace-charging apparatus.



No. 794.386. PATENTED JULY 11, 1905.

R. BAGGALEY.

FURNACE CHARGING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 7, 1904.

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v WITNESSAS' m ENTOR v (7% W No. 794.386. PATENTED JULY 11, 1905. R. BAGGALBY.

FURNACE CHARGING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 7, 1904.

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PATBNTBD JULY 11, 1905.

R. BAGGALEY. FURNACE CHARGING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED HAY 'I, 1904.

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INVENTOR tion and in elevation.

UNTTED STATES Patented July 11, 1905.

RALPH BAGGALEY, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

FURNACE-CHARGING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 794,386, dated July 11, 1905.

Application filed May '7, 1904. Serial No. 206.818.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RALPH BAGGALEY, of Pittsburg, Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Furnace- Charging Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 illustrates my preferred form of apparatus while delivering ores into an inverted converter before a molten charge has been delivered into it. Figs. 2 and 3 are detail views showing the refractory tip in sec- Fig. 4: illustrates the apparatus adapted to feed ores either intermittently or continuously from a mechanical feeder into a converter upon the surface of a molten bath of matte. Fig. 5 illustrates a side view of a modified construction of apparatus adapted to feed ores into a converter intermittently, and Fig. 6 is an end View of the swinging portion of the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 5.

My invention provides means for feeding ores into a converter without hand-labor, and is designed especially for use in the practice of what is known as the Baggaley process of producing copper, which consists in providing a bath of clean matte having high fuel values, dissolving in this bath ores rich in mineral values and in silica for the fluxing of the iron contained in the bath. The practice of this method has created a necessity for apparatus adapted to feed the converter rapidly and cheaply, and my present invention supplies that necessity.

The silicious ores may be supplied to the surface of the molten bath in the converter or they may be delivered into an empty converter and fastened to the interior walls by fusion with auxiliary heat, as fully explained in my application, Serial No. 202,193, filed April 8, 1904, for a method of lining converters, or they may be cemented to the interior walls of an empty converter by means of a bond of matte or slag, as described in an application, Serial No. 200,944, filed by C. M. Allen on March 31, 190t, for a method of lining converters. By either of these methods such ores are firmly secured to the wall be applied readily in the manner above described.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings, 2 is the converter, 3 an ordinary traveling crane, and 4 a charging spout or tube which is preferably made of heavy wrought metal, but may be made of refractory material, if preferred. The sulfur and other fumes, as well as hot flames that issue from the nose of the converter, are very destructive to the end of such spout, and to compensate for this action I preferably provide it with a heavy tip or sleeve 5 of any suitable resistant material mounted on rollers 6, which run on the top surface of the spout as a means of preventing undue friction. This sleeve is preferably counterbalanced by weights 7 and can be readily raised or lowered by the operator out of or into the mouth of the converter by means of a rod 8, which can also be utilized to swing the entire apparatus around to either side of the converterbuilding when the apparatus is not in use as a means of affording a clear passage-way for the traveling crane above. The spout, its tip, and its receiving-hopper 9, into which ore charges are delivered from a buggy 10 or otherwise, are supported by a suitable swinging crane or support 11, enabling it, as above stated, to be swung to either one side or the other when not in use. The heat and gas resisting tip 5 when injured by the beat may readily be replaced at trifling cost.

Fig. 4: illustrates the apparatus when utilized for the delivery of ore charges, either intermittently or continuously into the converter while in an upright position. It also shows in conjunction with the apparatus a mechanical feeding-hopper 12, the moving mechanism of which is controlled by the operator on the ground floor by means of a beltshifter 13; but, if desired, this mechanical feeder may be dispensed with and the ore charges fed by hand or otherwise. When the apparatus is used with an upright converter, as shown in this figure, the intent is to feed the ores onto the surface of a clean bath of molten matte while the blast is on and while the converting process is in full progress, as described in patent applications heretofore filed by me.

In Fig. 5 I show a mechanically-operated device for delivering the ores into the converter intermittently the operation of which is under the control of the operator on the ground floor. The entire apparatus with its driving mechanism is suspended on a swivel 14, so that it may readily be swung either to one side or to the other of the converter-nose. It is also hinged at 15, so that the spout 4 may be raised or lowered at the will of the operator. The sleeve 5 is carried by a frame 16, being mounted thereon on rollers 17, and

it can be reciprocated by a pitman 18 from a crank 19. In operation this pitman pushes the sleeve down into the nose of the converter for a suflicient length of time to deliver each separate ore charge, and after the charge has been thus delivered it retracts the sleeve therefrom. In this manner the sleeve in its travel will be removed from the heats and the gases of the converter-mouth for a considerable time, during which it will have an opportunity to cool off. The period of time that it is subject to the heats and the gases of the converters mouth is arranged so as to be as brief as possible and only long enough to permit the delivery of the ore charge. The device is provided with a tripping-lever 20 to actuate the ore-gate 21 for delivery of the ore charges by gravity into the converter-mouth. This tripping-lever is mounted upon a cross-shaft 22 and can be set at any point-of the circle of the wheel or crank 19, which engages it and trips it at a predetermined point and enables the delivery of the ore charge into the converter to be accomplished exactly. Two or more extensible wings 23 may be secured to the wheel or crank 19 by means of adjusting-screws 24 in order that the ore feed may be prolonged at will and to any desired extent. This entire swinging mechanism can be raised or lowered on its pivots 15 by a Windlass 25 or other suitable lifting mechanism. The shaft of the gear-wheel 26 for driving the crank 19 is also suspended from the heavy swivel 14 in order that it may be moved in harmony with the spout and sleeve. It is driven by the tight and loose pulleys 27, from which power is derived to operate the entire suspended mechanism,'the loose pulley being mounted near the ground-level in a convenient position for control by the operator. The power-transmitting mechanism is preferably a round rubber or leather cross belt 28, which enables power to be transmitted from the groundlevel without obstructing the movement of the suspended hinged mechanism above. The delivery-spout and its swinging frame with the means for moving it to one side or to the other are illustrated in Fig. 6.

Doubtless many modifications in this apparatus will be suggested by the foregoing description to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention, since What I claim is- 1. Charging apparatus comprising a swinging spout having a protecting-sleeve movable on the spout; substantially as described.

2. Charging apparatus comprising a swinging spout having a protecting-sleeve mounted with rollers on the spout and movable thereon; substantially as described.

3. Charging apparatus comprising a spout,

a protecting sleeve mounted thereon, and means for moving the sleeve back and forth into the mouth of the converter or furnace; substantially as described. 4. Charging apparatus comprising a spout, means for moving it back and forth into the mouth of the converter or furnace and a charge-supplying device actuated by the power mechanism which moves the spout in time with the movements of said spout; substantially as described.

5. Charging apparatus comprising a swinging spout, a protecting-sleeve mounted thereon, and means for moving it back and forth into the mouth of the converter or furnace; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

RALPH BAGGALEY. Witnesses:

J. C. WOLFRAM, W. D. KYLE. 

